The story of a farmer in China: a story of humility and bravery. His father gives Wang Lung a freed slave as wife. By diligence and frugality the two manage to enlarge their property. But then a famine forces them to leave their land and live in the town. However it turns out to be a blessing in disguise for them...
What drew me to this film was its Oscar recognition, especially for Karl Freund, the greatest cinematographer of all time. It continues to amaze me how little is known about him, even with his Oscar win. Tracking down a record of his remarks at the ceremony, if they exist, seems impossible.
While generally I consider it a bad idea to remake the classics, this might be one worthy of a revisit. For one thing, it could be filmed in color. But more importantly, it would be nice to feature authentic Chinese actors. Paul Muni is great, of course, but he wasn't Chinese. Maybe nobody noticed in the 1930s, but it is painfully obvious now.
What drew me to this film was its Oscar recognition, especially for Karl Freund, the greatest cinematographer of all time. It continues to amaze me how little is known about him, even with his Oscar win. Tracking down a record of his remarks at the ceremony, if they exist, seems impossible.
While generally I consider it a bad idea to remake the classics, this might be one worthy of a revisit. For one thing, it could be filmed in color. But more importantly, it would be nice to feature authentic Chinese actors. Paul Muni is great, of course, but he wasn't Chinese. Maybe nobody noticed in the 1930s, but it is painfully obvious now.